Star-packed New Jersey Arts Icon Gala to honor Dionne Warwick in Holmdel

The New Jersey Arts Icon Gala will honor legendary vocalist Dionne Warwick this weekend.

"What The World Needs Now ... A Celebration of Dionne Warwick" is set for Sunday, Sept. 22, at the new Bell Theater at Bell Works in Holmdel, and will support Axelrod Performing Arts Center and Bell Theater's cultural arts and education programs.

Warwick, a native of East Orange, is a singer, actor and activist whose career has spanned more than six decades. She's a 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, a 2023 Kennedy Center Award winner, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — and was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2013. She's also a five-time Grammy Award winner and was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

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"Her soulful vocal style bridged the gaps between pop, gospel, R&B and rock ‘n' roll," organizers said in a release. "A muse for songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David, she made classics of songs such as 'Walk on By,' 'Alfie,' 'I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,' 'I Say a Little Prayer,' 'Do You Know the Way to San Jose' and 'What the World Needs Now is Love,' among many others."

The event will feature a reception and auction, followed by a concert with Warwick and Grammy nominee Deborah Cox, Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child, classically trained vocalist Nova Y. Payton, Jersey Shore favorite Remember Jones, and Warwick’s granddaughter, singer Cheyenne Elliott. They will be accompanied by the American Pops Orchestra, conducted by Luke Frazier.

A dozen students from the junior division of Axelrod Performing Arts Academy’s musical theater program will sing "That’s What Friends Are For" along with Warwick.

Talent in the family

In an interview, Elliott said her grandmother is her "mentor and inspiration," and has always been supportive of her aspirations as a performer.

She's released several singles including "Let There Be Love," a duet with Warwick, and "Too Good at Goodbyes." Her song "With You" reached No. 16 on Billboard’s Dance Chart.

But Elliott's first taste of the performance world was onstage with her grandmother at age 8 or 9, singing "That's What Friends Are For." As a young teen, she started touring with Warwick.

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"I didn't look at her as anything but my grandma," she said. "But as I got to start touring with her, seeing the fans and the embrace and the love from all these people all around the world, I (realized) she's a very important person in this world."

Superstar talent runs in the family, as Whitney Houston is Elliott's aunt. But Warwick makes sure to celebrate Elliott as an individual.

"She always tells me to be myself because comparison is the thief of joy," Elliott said. "We have a lot of great musical talent in our family, but at the end of the day, I'm not going to be anyone else but myself. So she's very adamant about me always staying true to what I do, who I am, and don't let anybody try to knock you down for being something that you are."

Special guests

An R&B and pop recording artist, Cox has appeared on Broadway in "Aida," "The Wiz" and more.

"I've always been inspired by the music of Dionne Warwick,” Cox said in a news release. “She is a true legend, inspiration and friend. I'm looking forward to paying homage to her during these special performances of her timeless music."

Williams is a Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter who shot to stardom in Destiny's Child alongside Beyonce and Kelly Rowland. She's appeared on Broadway, where she's set to star in the new musical "Death Becomes Her" this fall.

Payton has performed with the American Pops Orchestra, with the group 3 Mo’ Divas, and has shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack and Yolanda Adams.

VIP tickets for the event are $750 and include the pre-concert reception, priority seating and a post-concert meet-and-greet with the artists. Premium tickets are $350 and include the pre-concert reception, preferred seating and post-concert dessert reception. Standard tickets are $250 and include the pre-concert reception.

Visit belltheater.org/bell-theater-2024-gala or call 732-531-9106, ext. 14, for more information. Bell Theater is inside Bell Works at 101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel.

Ilana Keller is an award-winning journalist and lifelong New Jersey resident who loves Broadway and really bad puns. Reach out on Twitter: @ilanakeller; [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: New Jersey Arts Icon Gala to honor Dionne Warwick at Bell Theater